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Lahontan NSPS Legislative Representative, presented an update on prog-
ress and ongoing efforts on the provision. Discussions were also
Chapter Update held on Workforce Development, Monument preservation, and
Military Outreach including the Helmets to Hardhats initiative.
Trent Keenan, Secretary/Treasurer of the Western Federation of
Professional Surveyors (WFPS), gave an update on WFPS and
By: Michael Detwiler, PLS the activities WFPS was participating in. State Directors also
shared news of interest from their respective states.
Lahontan Chapter meetings have been on pause for our unof-
ficial “summer break”. Summer has traditionally been the busy NSPS PAC
season for field surveying. With so many unique economic The NSPS political action committee (NSPS PAC) is the politi-
factors playing out currently, it seems like it can be feast or cal arm of NSPS and the surveying profession in Washington,
famine these last several summers. It seems like everything DC. By law, no NSPS funds can be used for political campaign
is thrown at us; pandemics, interest rate hikes, huge record purposes. That’s where the NSPS PAC comes in. NSPS must
winters, raging wildfires. I’m curious how other firms and rely on the generous, voluntary, personal contributions to the
businesses have fared this summer? Prosperous and PAC from individual surveyors. The NSPS PAC is the legal, ethi-
successful I hope! cal, and professional way for membership organizations, such
as NSPS to engage in our great political process.
Our last chapter meeting of the spring had Stanley Paher as The PAC helps build a better future for the surveying profession
our guest speaker at the South 40 Restaurant in Reno. Mr. by pooling personal contributions from individual NSPS members
Paher is a native Nevadan author and he spoke to us about and contributes to the election campaigns of deserving candi-
topics from his book Nevada’s Ghost Towns and Mining dates and incumbents for Federal office based on their records,
Camps. He brought along his published books and many of the policy positions, and leadership responsibilities.
members purchased copies.
In June, the chapter held a get together at Greater Nevada The Jefferson Club was created a few years ago to accept
Field for a Reno Aces game. We had a solid attendance of 50 personal contributions to the PAC. At the Spring meetings,
people, consisting of chapter members, wives, girlfriends, Jon Warren, NSPS PAC Chair, presented new tiers of Jefferson
significant others, and kids. The Aces event staff does a great Club Membership contributions: $1000 (Benjamin Banneker),
job putting together the food and tickets and we had a great $500 (Andrew Ellicott), and $250 (Jeremiah Dixon) per year to
spot just about the visitors’ dugout. The event was well liked the NSPS PAC. Please visit https:/www.nsps.us.com/page/
and received, and we plan on making this an annual event PAC to learn more about the PAC and to donate and join the
each summer. Jefferson Club.
In August NALS members met again for the Education Foun- Day on the Hill/Lobby Day
dation Golf Tournament at Wolf Run Golf Club. With an 8am Day on the Hill (Lobby Day) was held on March 29, 2023. Sur-
shotgun start it was a great day for summer golf in northern veyors from across the United States attended meetings with
Nevada. We had golfers from across northern Nevada, north- legislators and/or their staff. Trent Keenan, Ray Almanzan, and
ern California, and southern Nevada play in the tournament. I met with staff from Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez-Masto
Tentative numbers from the day tallied up to approximately and Jacky Rosen’s offices as well as staff from Congresswomen
$8,000 raised for the education foundation for future scholar- Susie Lee and Dina Titus’s office. The three key issues were: 1)
ships and outreach to up and coming surveyors. Many thanks Design professional licensing vs. occupational licensing and the
to the NALS staff and Education Foundation for putting on importance of having licensed Surveyors for the protection of
such a great event. And congratulations to Lumos for winning public health, safety, and welfare; 2) Utilization of the surveying
the tournament with the lowest round! profession to improve Broadband Mapping efforts and enhance
the related telecom infrastructure deployment; and 3) Reform
We will start up chapter meetings again in September with an of FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) survey-
informal happy hour at South 40. For October we plan on hav- ing and mapping by creating a National Structure Inventory to
ing a round table meeting with the Washoe County Recorder include parcel and address data, and ensure QBS contracting be
and Surveyor. In November we will welcome a UNR professor utilized for surveying and mapping services.
and author who will present on a new book of photography
of Lake Tahoe. And of course in December we will be hosting Lobby Day was a great experience and I encourage anyone who
our annual Christmas party. Hope to see many of you again is interested to attend next year.
soon at an upcoming event. Please grab a fellow co-worker, a
fellow surveyor you haven’t seen in a while, or a young survey The Spring 2024 meetings, Lobby Day, and the Student Compe-
who would benefit from networking with their peers. tition will be held April 21-26, 2024 in Arlington, Virginia.

38 The Nevada Traverse Vol.50, No.2, 2023